Kuki-Chin languages

Kuki-Chin
Kuki-Chin
Kuki-Chin-Mizo, Kukish
Ethnicity	Zo Kuki; Chin; Mizo; Zomi(Sometimes);
Geographic; distribution	India,Myanmar,Bangladesh
Linguistic classification	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Central Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin–Naga Kuki-Chin; ; ; ;
Early form	Proto-Kuki-Chin
Subdivisions	Northwestern; Northern; Central; Maraic; Southern; Khomic;
Language codes
Glottolog	kuki1246(Kuki-Chin)

TheKuki-Chin languages(also calledKuki-Chin-Mizo,^[2]KukishorSouth-Central Tibeto-Burman languages) are a branch of theSino-Tibetan language familyspoken in northeasternIndia,westernMyanmarand southeasternBangladesh.Most notable Kuki-Chin-speakingethnic groupsare referred to collectively as theZo peoplewhich includes: theMizoofMizoram,theKukiofManipur,Assam,Nagaland,TripuraandBangladeshand theChinofChin State,Myanmar.

Kuki-Chin is alternatively calledSouth-CentralTrans-Himalayan (orSouth CentralTibeto-Burman) by Konnerth (2018), because of negative connotations of the term "Kuki-Chin" for many speakers of languages in this group.^[3]

Kuki-Chin is sometimes placed underKuki-Chin–Naga,a geographical rather than linguistic grouping.

Geographical distribution

Northwestern:Chandel districtof Manipur, India;Tamu Townshipof Sagaing Region, Myanmar.
Northern:Chandel district,Churachandpur district,Kangpokpi district,Noney district,Tamenglong district,andTengnoupal districtsof Manipur, India;Tedim Townshipof Chin State, Myanmar;Tamu Townshipof Sagaing Region, Myanmar.
Central:whole state ofMizoram,India;Pherzawl districtof Manipur, India; parts ofCachar districtand parts ofKarbi Anglong districtof Assam, India; parts ofEast Jaintia Hills districtof Meghalaya, India;Falam Township,Hakha Township,andThantlang Townshipsof Chin State, Myanmar;Kalay TownshipandKhampat Townshipsof Sagaing Region, Myanmar, parts ofChittagong Hill Tractsof Bangladesh.
Maraic:majority ofSiaha districtofMizoram,India; parts ofMatupi Townshipof Chin State, Myanmar.
Southern:Kanpetlet Township,Matupi Township,Mindat Township,Paletwa Townshipsof Chin State, Myanmar; parts of theArakan Rangeof Rakhine State, Myanmar; parts ofChittagong Hill Tractsof Bangladesh.
Khomic:Paletwa Townshipof Chin State, Myanmar; parts ofChittagong Hill Tractsof Bangladesh.

Internal classification

TheKarbi languagesmay be closely related to Kuki-Chin, but Thurgood (2003) and van Driem (2011) leave Karbi unclassified within Sino-Tibetan.^[4]^[5]

The Kuki-Chin branches listed below are from VanBik (2009), with theNorthwesternbranch added fromScott DeLancey,et al. (2015),^[6]and theKhomicbranch (which has been split off from theSouthernbranch) from Peterson (2017).^[7]

Kuki-Chin
- Central:Mizo(Duhlian),Bawm(Sunthla and Panghawi),Falam(Hallam,Ranglong,Darlong,Hauhulh, Simpi, Hualngo,Chorei),Thor(Tawr),Hmar,Hrangkhol,Biate(Biete),Hakha(Lai/Pawi, Mi-E, Zokhua),Pangkhua,Saihriem,Laizo/Tlaisun,Khualsim,Zanniat,Zahau,Sim
- Maraic:Mara(Tlosai {Siaha and Saikao}, Hawthai {Lyvaw, Sizo, and Lochei}, Hlaipao {Zyhno, Heima, and Lialai}),Zophei,Senthang,Zotung(Lungngo, Calthawn, Innmai),Lautu
- Northern:Suantak-Vaiphei,Zo(Zou),Paite,Tedim,Thado(Kuki),Gangte,Simte,Vaiphei,Sizang,Ralte,Ngawn
- Southern:Shö(Asho/Khyang, Chinbon),Thaiphum,Daai(Nitu),Mün,Yindu,Matu,Welaung(Rawngtu),Kaang,Laitu,Rungtu,Songlai,Sumtu
- Khomic:Khumi(Khumi proper and Khumi Awa),Mro,Rengmitca,etc.
- Northwestern:Monsang,Moyon,Lamkang,Aimol,Anal,Tarao,Koireng(Kolhreng),Chiru,Kom,Chothe,Purum,^[7]Kharam,^[7]

DarlongandRanglongare unclassified Kuki-Chin language.

The recently discoveredSorbunglanguage may be mixed language that could classify as either a Kuki-Chin orTangkhullanguage (Mortenson & Keogh 2011).^[8]

Anu-Hkongsospeakers self-identify as ethnicChin people,although their language is closely related toMrurather than to Kuki-Chin languages. TheMruic languagesconstitute a separate Tibeto-Burman branch, and are not part of Kuki-Chin.^[7]

VanBik (2009)

Kenneth VanBik's (2009:23) classified the Kuki-Chin languages based on sharedsound changes(phonological innovations) from Proto-Kuki-Chin as follows.

Kuki-Chin
- Central:*k(ʰ)r-, *p(ʰ)r- > *t(ʰ)r-; *k(ʰ)l-, *p(ʰ)l- > *t(ʰ)l-; *y- > *z-
  - Pangkhua?
  - Lamtuk Thet:Lamtuk, Ruavan
  - Lai
    - Hakha:Hakha,Thantlang,Zokhua
    - Falam:Bawm,Bualkhaw,Laizo,Lente,Khualsim,Khuangli, Sim, Tlaisun,Zanniat
  - Mizo
    - Mizo:Fanai, Hualngo, Lushai, Khiangte
    - Hmar:Khosak, Thiek, Lawitlang, Khawbung, Darngawn, Lungtau, Leiri
- Maraic:*kr- > *ts-; *-ʔ, *-r, *-l > -Ø; *-p, *-t, *-k > *-ʔ; *θ- > *s-
  - Mara
    - Tlosai
      - Saikao
      - Siaha
    - Hlaipao
      - Heima
      - Lialai
      - Vahapi/Zyhno
    - HawThai
      - Sizo
        Ngaphepi
        
        Sabyu
        
        Chapi
      - Lyvaw
        Lochei
        
        Tisih
        
        Phybyu
  - Lautu
    - Hnaro
    - Chawngthia
  - Zophei
    - Vytu
    - Sate/Awsa
  - Senthang
    - Khuapi
    - Surkhua
  - Zotung*h- > *f-; *kr- > *r-; *khl- > *kh-, *l-; *c(^h)- > *t(^h)-/*s-; *y- > *z-/*z(^h)-; *w- > *v-
    - Calthawng
    - Innmai
    - Lungngo/Tinpa
- Peripheral: *r- > *g-
  - Northern:*θ- > *ts-; *kl- > *tl-; *-r > *-k
    - Thado/Kuki,Tedim,Khuangsai,PaiteVuite,Chiru
    - Sizang,Guite,Vaiphei,Ralte,
  - Southern(Southern Plains): *-r > *-y
    - Khumi:Khomi, Wakung
    - Cho-Asho
      - Asho
      - Cho:Matu;Chinpon;Daai,Nghmoye, Ngmuun, Mkaang

Peterson (2017)

David A. Peterson's (2017:206)^[7]internal classification of the Kuki-Chin languages is as follows.

Kuki-Chin
- Northwestern:Purum (Naga),Koireng,Monsang (Naga),etc.
- Central
  - Core Central
  - Maraic
- Peripheral
  - Northeastern
  - Khomic:Khami/Khumi,Mro-Khimi, Lemi,Rengmitca,etc.
  - Southern
    - Cho
    - Daai
    - Hyow/Asho

Peterson'sNortheasternbranch corresponds to VanBik'sNorthernbranch, while Peterson'sNorthwesterncorresponds to theOld Kukibranch of earlier classifications.

References

^VanBik, Kenneth (2009).Proto-Kuki-Chin: a reconstructed ancestor of the Kuki-Chin languages(PDF).Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Project, Dept. of Linguistics research unit in Univ. of California, Berkeley.ISBN 0-944613-47-0.
^Burling, Robbins (2003). "The Tibeto-Burman languages of Northeastern India". In Graham Thurgood; Randy J. LaPolla (eds.).The Sino-Tibetan Languages.pp. 169–191.
^Konnerth, Linda. 2018.The historical phonology of Monsang (Northwestern South-Central/ "Kuki-Chin" ): A case of reduction in phonological complexity.Himalayan Linguistics,Vol. 17(1): 19-49, note [2]: "...many language activists among the speakers of languages of the South-Central branch has made it clear to me that using the" Kuki-Chin "label is very insensitive."
^Thurgood, Graham (2003) "A subgrouping of the Sino-Tibetan languages: The interaction between language contact, change, and inheritance." In G. Thurgood and R. LaPolla, eds.,The Sino-Tibetan languages,pp. 13–14. London: Routledge,ISBN 978-0-7007-1129-1.
^van Driem, George L. (2011a),"Tibeto-Burman subgroups and historical grammar",Himalayan Linguistics Journal,10(1): 31–39, archived fromthe originalon 12 January 2012.
^DeLancey, Scott; Krishna Boro; Linda Konnerth1; Amos Teo. 2015.Tibeto-Burman Languages of the Indo-Myanmar borderland.31st South Asian Languages Analysis Roundtable, 14 May 2015.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^ePeterson, David. 2017. "On Kuki-Chin subgrouping." In Picus Sizhi Ding and Jamin Pelkey, eds.Sociohistorical linguistics in Southeast Asia: New horizons for Tibeto-Burman studies in honor of David Bradley,189-209. Leiden: Brill.
^David Mortenson and Jennifer Keogh. 2011. "Sorbung, an Undocumented Language of Manipur: its Phonology and Place in Tibeto-Burman",inJEALS4, vol 1.

Bibliography

George van Driem (2001)Languages of the Himalayas: An Ethnolinguistic Handbook of the Greater Himalayan Region.Brill,ISBN 978-90-04-12062-4.
VanBik, Kenneth. 2009.Proto-Kuki-Chin: A Reconstructed Ancestor of the Kuki-Chin Languages.STEDT Monograph 8.ISBN 0-944613-47-0.

External links

[1] VanBik, Kenneth (2009).Proto-Kuki-Chin: a reconstructed ancestor of the Kuki-Chin languages(PDF).Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Project, Dept. of Linguistics research unit in Univ. of California, Berkeley.ISBN 0-944613-47-0.

[2] Burling, Robbins (2003). "The Tibeto-Burman languages of Northeastern India". In Graham Thurgood; Randy J. LaPolla (eds.).The Sino-Tibetan Languages.pp. 169–191.

[3] Konnerth, Linda. 2018.The historical phonology of Monsang (Northwestern South-Central/ "Kuki-Chin" ): A case of reduction in phonological complexity.Himalayan Linguistics,Vol. 17(1): 19-49, note [2]: "...many language activists among the speakers of languages of the South-Central branch has made it clear to me that using the" Kuki-Chin "label is very insensitive."

[4] Thurgood, Graham (2003) "A subgrouping of the Sino-Tibetan languages: The interaction between language contact, change, and inheritance." In G. Thurgood and R. LaPolla, eds.,The Sino-Tibetan languages,pp. 13–14. London: Routledge,ISBN 978-0-7007-1129-1.

[5] van Driem, George L. (2011a),"Tibeto-Burman subgroups and historical grammar",Himalayan Linguistics Journal,10(1): 31–39, archived fromthe originalon 12 January 2012.

[6] DeLancey, Scott; Krishna Boro; Linda Konnerth1; Amos Teo. 2015.Tibeto-Burman Languages of the Indo-Myanmar borderland.31st South Asian Languages Analysis Roundtable, 14 May 2015.

[Peterson2017-7] Peterson, David. 2017. "On Kuki-Chin subgrouping." In Picus Sizhi Ding and Jamin Pelkey, eds.Sociohistorical linguistics in Southeast Asia: New horizons for Tibeto-Burman studies in honor of David Bradley,189-209. Leiden: Brill.

[8] David Mortenson and Jennifer Keogh. 2011. "Sorbung, an Undocumented Language of Manipur: its Phonology and Place in Tibeto-Burman",inJEALS4, vol 1.

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